When considering the Apple MacBook Pro 16 and the MSI Prestige 13, reflect on your priorities; the MacBook Pro offers robust performance for demanding tasks such as video editing and graphic design, with a larger screen ideal for detailed work, but it's heavier and more costly. The MSI Prestige, on the other hand, is lighter and more budget-friendly, suitable for general use and business applications, with good portability and battery life; however, it may not handle intensive tasks as smoothly as the MacBook Pro. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021)
Excellent for general use
Good for gaming and AI
Very good for software development
Excellent overall display quality
Best in class overall build quality
Best in class battery life
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo
Very good portability
Key differences
General Use
9.0/10
8.0/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
497.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
415.0 nits
17.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is excellent for general use, while the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo is very good.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) offers a high-quality CPU and more RAM for demanding tasks, with a superior screen and speakers suited for professionals needing power and excellent multimedia performance, but it is less portable and pricier. The MSI Prestige 13 AIO Evo, while still providing adequate performance for general use with a good CPU and RAM, is more affordable and portable with better battery life, making it a great choice for users on the go who prioritize convenience and value.
Engineering and Design
8.7/10
8.0/10
7.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
5.0/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.2/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) and MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo are both very good for engineering and design, though the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is somewhat better.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 offers a powerful CPU, ample RAM, and a high-quality GPU that excel in handling demanding engineering software, along with a superior screen that benefits design work; meanwhile, the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo, while also equipped with capable processing power and a quality display, is more portable and quieter, making it a more travel-friendly option, albeit with less raw performance than the MacBook. The MacBook Pro typically has a more comfortable keyboard and better speakers, which enhances the overall user experience, but comes at a higher cost than the MSI Prestige.
Content Creation
8.8/10
8.1/10
7.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) and MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo are both very good for content creation, though the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is somewhat better.
PerfectRec’s Content Creation Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for photo editing, video editing and other content creation tasks.
Software Development
8.9/10
7.9/10
7.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) is very good for software development, while the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo is good.
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software developers.
Screen Quality
9.4/10
8.2/10
16.2in
SIZE
13.0in
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1800
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
497.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
415.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The MacBook Pro 16 (2021) excels in screen quality for general use and engineering with its high resolution, brightness, and wide color gamuts, offering clear visuals and accurate colors essential for detailed work. While the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo also provides sharp resolution and good color reproduction, making it suitable for both general use and professional design tasks, its screen doesn't match the MacBook's brightness and color range. However, both laptops are not optimal for 3D applications due to their lower refresh rates, which are less than ideal for the fast-paced visuals required in gaming or 3D modeling.
Battery
17.5 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 17.5 hours of battery life. The MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo has 8 hours of battery life.
Battery life estimate is based on a mix of common use patterns. More portable and higher performing laptops tend to have less battery life.
Portability
Good
Very Good
16.2in
SIZE
13.0in
4.7 lbs
WEIGHT
3.5 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo has very good portability, while the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
7.4/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) has best in class build quality, while the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,949
$1,280
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) has a price of $1,949 and the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo costs $1,280.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) to be good for gaming and AI, while the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo is only fair.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a stronger GPU and higher screen quality which provide superior performance for 3D rendering, but its limited gaming capability is due to the incompatibility of many popular games with macOS. On the other hand, the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo, while offering fair 3D performance, has broader gaming compatibility due to a Windows operating system, but may not perform as well in graphics-intensive tasks because of its less powerful GPU.
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How the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) and the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo compare to other laptops
"The Apple MacBook Pro 16 2023: M2 Max challenges GeForce RTX 3080 Ti. The new MacBook Pro 16 2023 with the M2 Max SoC is the most powerful laptop Apple has on sale right now. While we do not get the expected performance and efficiency improvements from completely new 3 nm chips, which we expected ahead of the launch, the 2023 model is still a solid update. The CPU of the M2 Max can be up to 20 % faster than the old model and we also see an advantage of 25-30 % for the GPU with 38 cores. However, both components also consume more power, so the efficiency did not change that much under maximum load."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021) or the MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo
About Apple
Apple, an American technology company, is one of the world’s largest company in terms of market capitalization. Their MacBook laptops feature a slim, minimalistic design, class-leading battery life, and premium display and speaker quality. In 2020 Apple switched from using Intel processors to their own silicon chips which have excellent performance and efficiency. The macOS operating system is the second most widely used OS, after Windows.
About MSI
MSI, also known as Micro-Star International, is a Taiwanese technology corporation. MSI is known for their wide range of gaming devices. Their series include the entry-level Cyborg/Thin and Sword/Katana series, the mid-range Bravo/Delta and Crosshair/Pulse series, and their high-end Vector, Raider, Stealth, and Titan GT series. At every performance level, MSI offers a variety of devices with varying balances between performance, battery life, weight, and price, making them a solid option to consider at every price point.
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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